Rocky Mountain Star Stare is the place to be. Of course, I'm a bit biased since our club hosts the annual event each June. It is a great time and normally we have amazing skies. The weather this year wasn't cooperative for observing, but we had outstanding speakers and still had a great time. Guaranteed to have amazing skies again in 2017!

Brklyn, much would honestly depend on your personal hobby interests in selecting the "ultimate" amateur event to attend.

If you are looking strictly for observing, then I'd say that TSP (West Texas) would be about the best within the continental U.S. There you would meet many of the countries top visual observers, see and have the opportunity to view through some really large amateur scopes and do so under truly great skies (or at least they were the last time I attended back a few years). There are also opportunities to visit McDonald Observatory while there, since it's only a few miles away. Being normally a typical Dude Ranch diversions anticipated at such a venue are (were?) available during the daytime...which some attendees enjoy.

If you want a well rounded meeting that includes the chance to observe under ptetty good skies at night, a chance to converse with a broad range of other observers with highly varied interests and during the day hear lectures on various astronomical topics, then likely the RTMC (Southern CA) meet would best fit your tastes. It is also heavily attended by the hobby's manufacturers, who display a wide range of scopes.

Closer two home are two additional top flight gatherings. Stellafane (my personal favorite) meets annually in southern Vermont. The oldest annual amateur convention in America, it is held on a small mountain top and if weather is favorable one can see 7th magnitude with the naked eye at zenith there. Daytime sees a telescope makers competition involving a wide range of typical to highly unusual telescopes and instruments. Throughout the weekend lectures ranging from telescope making, through astronomical imaging, visual observing, and even electronics associated with telescopes and observing, are presented. Evenings bring a Friday evening slide show by attendees on many diverse topics with the met culminating in a huge Saturday evening raffle worth often in excess of ten grand, plus a keynote speaker who is typically a professional astronomer, or astronomical historian.

And finally, right next door for you, is NEAF in southern Rockland County, NY. Its focus is around equipment and informative lectures often present by top NASA types, or renowned amateurs. A huge gymnasium-like building serves as a manufacturers' exhibit hall with a vast array of stuff on display with company reps on hand to explain everything....and even sell to you! Because of its proximity to NYC, observing is mainly a daytime solar endeavor, although a modest star party is held off-site a ways to the north in more rural territory.

The first three meets are more-or-less camping situations with on-site meals available (the best I found were at TSP!) at each. Camping as well as off-site motels and B&amp;B's are alternatives for Stellafane. Local hotels are easily found close to NEAF.

I would add that there are also a number of other highly interesting annual meets around the country that have a lot to offer, but I regard the four above as the premier "you-gotta-see-this-at-least-once" type of events.

Brklyn, much would honestly depend on your personal hobby interests in selecting the "ultimate" amateur event to attend.

If you are looking strictly for observing, then I'd say that TSP (West Texas) would be about the best within the continental U.S. There you would meet many of the countries top visual observers, see and have the opportunity to view through some really large amateur scopes and do so under truly great skies (or at least they were the last time I attended back a few years). There are also opportunities to visit McDonald Observatory while there, since it's only a few miles away. Being normally a typical Dude Ranch diversions anticipated at such a venue are (were?) available during the daytime...which some attendees enjoy.

If you want a well rounded meeting that includes the chance to observe under ptetty good skies at night, a chance to converse with a broad range of other observers with highly varied interests and during the day hear lectures on various astronomical topics, then likely the RTMC (Southern CA) meet would best fit your tastes. It is also heavily attended by the hobby's manufacturers, who display a wide range of scopes.

Closer two home are two additional top flight gatherings. Stellafane (my personal favorite) meets annually in southern Vermont. The oldest annual amateur convention in America, it is held on a small mountain top and if weather is favorable one can see 7th magnitude with the naked eye at zenith there. Daytime sees a telescope makers competition involving a wide range of typical to highly unusual telescopes and instruments. Throughout the weekend lectures ranging from telescope making, through astronomical imaging, visual observing, and even electronics associated with telescopes and observing, are presented. Evenings bring a Friday evening slide show by attendees on many diverse topics with the met culminating in a huge Saturday evening raffle worth often in excess of ten grand, plus a keynote speaker who is typically a professional astronomer, or astronomical historian.

And finally, right next door for you, is NEAF in southern Westchester, NY. Its focus is around equipment and informative lectures often present by top NASA types, or renowned amateurs. A huge gymnasium-like building serves as a manufacturers' exhibit hall with a vast array of stuff on display with company reps on hand to explain everything....and even sell to you! Because of its proximity to NYC, observing is mainly a daytime solar endeavor, although a modest star party is held off-site a ways to the north in more rural territory.

The first three meets are more-or-less camping situations with on-site meals available (the best I found were at TSP!) at each. Camping as well as off-site motels and B&amp;B's are alternatives for Stellafane. Local hotels are easily found close to NEAF.

I would add that there are also a number of other highly interesting annual meets around the country that have a lot to offer, but I regard the four above as the premier "you-gotta-see-this-at-least-once" type of events.